IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - May 01 & 02, 2016

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Lifestyle diseases include atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke; obesity and type 2 diabetes; and diseases associated with smoking and alcohol and drug abuse.
• They can include Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, asthma, cancer, chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic renal failure, osteoporosis and depression.
• Regular physical activity helps prevent obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, and premature mortality.
• These diseases are often associated with genetic factors and other common, modifiable lifestyle risks, including obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco smoking, risky alcohol consumption, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• It should be noted, however, that lifestyle diseases have their onset later in an individual's life and need a longer lifespan in order to become the cause of death. This suggests that the life expectancy at birth of 49.24 years in 1900 was too short for degenerative diseases to occur, compared to a life expectancy at birth of 77.8 years in 2004.

ANSWER: A submarine

Explanation:

• ‘Kalvari’, the first of the Scorpene class submarines, is built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd Mumbai (MDL).
• It is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine which is designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS and being manufactured by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
• The first Scorpène submarine is INS Kalvari (named after a deep sea tiger shark)

ANSWER: Andhra Pradesh

Explanation:

• Andhra Pradesh is set to become the first State in the country to make all of its urban areas ‘Open Defecation Free’ by October 2nd this year, marking the two years of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission.
• The State officials gave this assurance during a review of progress of Swachh Bharat Mission in all the 110 municipalities of Andhra Pradesh.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• Early setting up of Real Estate Regulatory Authorities with whom all real estate projects have to be registered and Appellate Tribunals for adjudication of disputes is the key for providing early relief and protection to the large number of buyers of properties.
• Section 20 of the Act says “The appropriate Government shall, within a period of one year from the date of coming into force of this Act, by notification establish an authority to be known as the Real Estate Regulatory Authority to exercise the powers conferred on it and to perform the functions assigned to it under this Act”. These Authorities decide on the complaints of buyers and developers in 60 days time.
• Under Section 43 of the Act, Real Estate Appellate Tribunals shall be formed within a maximum period of one year i.e by April 30,2017. These fast track Tribunals shall decide on the disputes over the orders of Regulatory Authorities in 60 days time.

ANSWER: 10 crore

Explanation:

• There are changes with respect to ‘make’ procedures. ‘Make’ procedure has four sub categories:
• Government funded projects: Under this category 90% of the funding is done by the government and 10% is industry funded. There are two subcategories under this-

1) Projects under Rs 10 crore are reserved for MSMEs
2) Open category - if it is more than 10cr or if MSME cannot develop it even if it is under 10 crore

• Industry funded projects:

1) Projects under Rs 3 crore are reserved for MSMEs.
2) More than 3 crore it is Open category.

ANSWER: NLRX1

Explanation:

• Deficiencies in NLRX1 - an intracellular protein - reduce HIV replication, suggesting that the development of small molecules to modulate the innate immune response may inhibit viral transmission and promote immunity to infection.
• This research expands understanding of the role of host proteins in viral replication and the innate immune response to HIV infection, and can be extended to DNA viruses such as HSV and vaccinia.

ANSWER: They prevent the over-activation of the immune system on healthy cells

Explanation:

• Immune checkpoints are immunological "brakes" that prevent the over-activation of the immune system on healthy cells.
• Tumour cells often take advantage of these checkpoints to escape detection of the immune system.
• Several FDA-approved drugs that target checkpoints, called checkpoint inhibitors, are now available to treat certain cancers.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• First, the government can claim credit for demonstrating intent to energise the procurement process by accepting many of the suggestions of the Dhirendra Singh Committee set up to make recommendations to revamp the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).
• The introduction of a new category of Buy Indian (or IDDM, Indigenous Design Development and Manufacture), the graded acceptance of better quality through the introduction of an “enhanced” performance parameter clause, and the sudden energisation of private players in defence manufacturing are some cause for cheer.
• Second, many of the rules that hitherto put the private industry at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU) have been modified or removed.
• Third and most important, there is visible incentivisation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in many spheres.

ANSWER: Diamonds

Explanation:

• Nine other famous diamonds left the shores of India and these are now displayed in museums in Washington, Moscow, Paris and Istanbul besides forming a part of the Iranian crown jewels.
• The precious nine, all categorised as legendary diamonds and mined by the Qutub Shahis of the Deccan, are the Hope Diamond, Hortensia, Darya-i-Noor, Noor-ul-Ain, Orlov (also called Orlof), Regent, Sancy, Shah Diamond and Spoonmaker’s.
• While the 45.5 carat Hope diamond is currently on display at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, the 190 carat Orlov diamond, a bluish-green gem, is now part of Moscow’s Diamond Treasury.
• On the other hand, the 140.6 carat Regent, 55.2 carat Sancy and 20 carat Hortensia are now at the Louvre museum in Paris.
• Two pink diamonds, the 182 carat Darya-i-Noor and 60 carat Noor-ul-Ain are part of the Iranian crown jewels while the 88.7 carat Shah Diamond and 86 carat Spoonmaker's are housed in the Diamond Fund of the Kremlin and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul respectively.

ANSWER: Kakatiyas

Explanation:

• Prof. Madhavan, who has studied diamond mining for nearly six decades, says that by all historical accounts, the Kohinoor was mined by the Kakatiyas when Rani Rudrama Devi headed the kingdom, its headquarters in present day Warangal.
• Kohinoor’s exact vintage, right from its discovery, continues to be a mystery. However, there is a general consensus among historians that it was found at Kolluru in the late 13th century in present day Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. Kolluru was part of the Kakatiya kingdom.
• According to Prof. Madhavan, India was the only producer of diamonds in the world till 1725 AD when they were mined in Brazil. Later in 1870, diamonds were explored in South Africa. Marco Polo, who visited India in the 13th century, talks in his travelogue of an inland kingdom ruled by a queen (Rudrama Devi)... “which produced all the diamonds in the world”.

ANSWER: Cullinan Diamond

Explanation:

• At the time of its discovery, the Kohinoor was the largest diamond in the world. But no longer. In 1905, workmen at the Premier Mines in South Africa unearthed the 3106 carats (621 grams) Cullinan diamond, which remains the largest so far. It was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the founder of Premier Mines.
• The original weight of Kohinoor was stated to be 793 carats (158.6 gm). In the 17th Century, emperor Aurangazeb wanted to reduce its size to add to its lustre.
• He tasked Horenso Borgia, a Venetian lapidary with the job, but he cut the diamond down to just 186 carats and invited a heavy fine.
• At present, the weight of Kohinoor, meaning mountain of light, is 105.6 carats.
• A 1,111 carat high quality diamond has been found at a mine in Botswana and was mined by Lucara Diamond Corp. This is the second largest diamond of the world.